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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To really detest the term 'little man' for a baby/little boy

311 replies

Mimicat44 · 20/06/2016 09:21

It just seems that everyone is using this term now and it annoys me - they're not a little man, they're a baby or a little boy! Why impose any connotation of being a 'man' already on a tiny child, just let them be a child! I don't hear 'little woman' with reference to a baby girl so why the keenness to have it the other way round?! Is this some subconscious way of encouraging little boys to be 'manly' or stereotypically masculine or am I completely overreacting and it's just a cute term. I am prepared to accept that maybe I am Smile Anyway, anyone else got any terms/sayings they find (potentially) unreasonably annoying?

OP posts:
Jessikita · 26/06/2016 19:12

YANBU to desest any term you like. Different things irritate different people.

I hate it when people call their daughters' Princesses!
And I hate anyone describing their child as sexy. Makes me feel bad.

Wills · 26/06/2016 19:30

Hi, I've just seen this because it arrived on the daily Mumsnet review of all posts etc. I haven't looked through it but wanted to say something. I'm currently doing a part time Psychology degree and I pro "little man" etc from the that perspective etc. All too often the term "child" seems to indicate something less than an adult and they're so not. Yes they have to learn a lot, but when born they arrive in this world fully formed humans.

Its like when people comment how cruel children can be in the playground etc as though its different in the adult 'real' world - its NO different - yes many adults have learnt to be more subtle in their cruelty - but many have not.

Children are NOT a different breed. They're human beings - just little!

Wills · 26/06/2016 19:32

But will also add - that there are also many terms that grate my senses especially whenever Trump talks about how sexy his daughters are - Jessikita Shock

mysteriousbat · 26/06/2016 19:56

I used to absolutely hate the term little man . then we get a male cat who i call little man. Yes i know it's a cat and that's probably an even weirder name for a cat but hey ho.
Still hate it for babies but have noticed it creeping out of my mouth now and then

mysteriousbat · 26/06/2016 20:00

But wills isn't an adult the word we use to show that a person is now fully matured and, supposedly, no longer a child?! A child is not a tiny adult. They are a child. A fully formed human of course, but the fact they have a lot to learn and are not fully matured means they are not adults?!
Also sexy for kids is just horrendous. Children are not sexy and it skeezes me out

loullabella · 26/06/2016 20:32

It's a cute term for a little boy!! I don't see the problem??! I don't use it personally, it's just not my style of language. But I have 3 boys under 4 years old and loads of people use that term. I think it's very sweet. Yes they will be men one day but by calling them Little Man it's not going to take away their boyhood lol
It's a term of endearmen, some people need to chill out - this society is going crazy!!

Confusednotcom · 26/06/2016 21:08

I agree there are bigger problems to fret about! You can't really get upset about language people use to describe kids unless it's weird/inappropriate ie the sexy thing - uurgh. Little man is cute and suggests to me giving the child respect as a grown up to be. Hardly rushing it tho. i don't see the prob with gender specific terms either, unless you also dislike the use of boy and girl.

user1464715887 · 26/06/2016 21:39

I'm from Northern Ireland and little ones are regularly called 'wee woman' and 'wee man' so it's the norm here!

falange · 26/06/2016 21:56

Really??? Really??? YABU. Get over yourself.

Original poster
Mimicat44 · 26/06/2016 21:58

Yes really!!!

OP posts:
theelectricmichaelangelo · 26/06/2016 23:31

You are over analysing this.

Rishaar · 27/06/2016 00:45

I have called DS Mr Fish (surname isn't Fish btw) since he was born... I imagine he would have preferred little man!!

KimmySchmidtsSmile · 27/06/2016 07:59

Mr Fish is fab. Grin

Sophieg24 · 27/06/2016 09:55

YANBU

I don't like it atall, he's my cute little baby. Let's not rush him (or me) into manhood. People still say it either way so I usually just brush it off.

TheDuchessOfArbroathsHat · 27/06/2016 10:12

Do you all know you're starring in the Daily Yuk. Again. Grin

DailyTwat

funsizeapples · 27/06/2016 10:20

I just saw a news article on the web about this and just wanted to say my son is also referred to as little man, little monster most things other than his name but the worst is poppet. He is called this by his grandparents who have dogs they also call poppet and another grandson who is also called...poppet. Surely its not that hard to distinguish between your pets and your grandchildren!

WeAreTheOthers · 27/06/2016 10:26

I prefer young man/lady but I see nothing wrong with little man/lady, it's a nickname, not some kind of imprinting technique.

ppeatfruit · 27/06/2016 10:30

Blimey TheDuchess I had no idea that journalists are sooooo laaazy nowadays ( I don't read the Daily Fail and try not to read links to it Blush ) or any papers like it.) We should start our own paper!

minipie · 27/06/2016 10:35

I don't like it either - I don't mind young man/young lady (usually in a mock admonitory tone eg "no being sick on my top now young man") but for some reason I don't like little man or little lady.

I realise there is no logical reason for my dislike though and wouldn't criticise anyone who uses the term (I would just cringe inwardly)

dayakie · 27/06/2016 10:48

My husband used to call my son the tit leach as the baby was constantly breast feeding... Needless to say that name stopped when my boy moved onto solids :-)

ppeatfruit · 27/06/2016 10:52

Oh I quite like "poppet" funsize it's just a sweet term of endearment, for a child or pet that you love (showing my age now). !

RandomName9 · 27/06/2016 11:19

OP agree with you, I can't stand little man, little lady, prince or princess..majority of babies are none of these!!
Had a relative that called her youngest "Baby C" (his name began with a C!!!), he was 7 with 4 family children younger than him but was still referred to as Baby C!!! Confused

Ruthyphro · 31/10/2017 09:16

Hello, I'm so pleased it's not just me! I had even a daughter; she's my little girl and I detest my MiL calling her a 'little lady'. It definitely feeds into dated gender inequality and also it sounds naff. Thanks for posting this, you are absolutely right!

Lethaldrizzle · 31/10/2017 09:23

I have absolutely no problem with little lady and little man.

thecatsthecats · 31/10/2017 09:52

I have an irrational rage at kids being called 'little' anything. Don't ask me why, just turns my stomach a bit!

They're children, they're supposed to be small.

The only one I do have an inkling of why it annoys me is 'little legs'. I was brought up by keen walkers, and hearing people dismiss the idea of children walking more than a few hundred feet because they have 'little legs' is irritating.

(Disclaimer: please don't follow up commenting about 'rage' and 'stomach turns' etc. They are turns of phrase used to describe a foible I have.)

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